Government has regularised the growing, processing and
supply of industrial hemp (cannabis) by farmers countrywide for industrial
purposes.
Industrial hemp is from the plant species Cannabis sativa
and has been used worldwide to produce a variety of industrial and consumer
products.
The revelations, which are contained in the Government
Gazette published yesterday, come after Justice, Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi consulted Health and Child Care Minister Dr
Obadiah Moyo, in terms of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act.
“These regulations may be cited as the Criminal Law
Codification and Reform (Persons who may lawfully possess, deal in or use
industrial hemp) Regulations, 2019.
“In these regulations — “industrial hemp” means the plant
cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant including the seeds thereof and
all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of
isomers, whether growing or not with a delat-9 tetrathydrocannabinol
concentration of not more than 0,3 percent on a dry weight basis,” read the
regulations
Government said the prescribed persons shall cultivate
industrial hemp for industrial purposes on farms approved by the minister.
In April last year, the Government legalised the production
of cannabis (mbanje or dagga) for medicinal or scientific purposes.
This was announced by the then Health and Child Care
Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa in a Government Gazette under Statutory
Instrument 62 of 2018 (Dangerous Drugs – Production of Cannabis for Medicinal
and Scientific Use Regulations).
Producers of mbanje must be licensed by the minister.
“An application for the issue of a licence in terms of
section 27 of the Act shall be made to the Minister, in duplicate and shall be
accompanied by the appropriate fee and three copies of a plan of the site
proposed to be licensed which shall comply with the requirement specified in
these regulations.
“In case of an individual, proof of citizenship or proof of
being ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe or proof of an exemption by the Minister
(will be required),” reads the regulations.
“In the case of a company, proof of citizenship or proof of
being ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe of the majority of directors or proof of
an exemption by the Minister and proof of incorporation in Zimbabwe of the
company; and a declaration, signed and dated by the proposed authorised person
in charge, stating that the authorised person in charge, the proposed
responsible person in charge and, if applicable, the proposed alternate
responsible person in charge, are familiar with the provisions of the Act (will
be required),” reads the regulations.
The application for the licence must also provide a
detailed description of the method that the applicant proposes to use for
keeping records.
The minister has powers to audit the activities of the
licensed producer with respect to cannabis.
Over the years the production and use of marijuana has been
illegal in the country and possession of the drug attracted sentences of up to
12 years in jail.
Many jurisdictions, especially in Europe, North America,
and South America, have liberalised controls on cannabis by decriminalising
and/or legalising some instances of production, sales, possession, and use.
African countries are also participating in this global wave of cannabis
liberalisation.
Cannabis is an important crop in Africa.
African farmers produce enough to meet demand on the
continent and to export small quantities to Europe. Cannabis is not
significantly imported into the continent, but international trading is common
within Africa due to variations in supply, demand, law enforcement, and other
farming opportunities.Herald
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